Coronavirus - If your loved one is on "lockdown" in a facility - nursing home, assisted living etc.

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If your loved ones lives in a nursing home, assisted living, group home, senior community etc, and they are on "lockdown" and not allowing any visitors, this is still a time for you to advocate for your loved ones. Two key things:

• Make sure you know whether those facilities have taken precautions that are needed to ensure loved ones’ safety
• Insist on some type of line of communication - FB posts with photos; telephone calls; videos; photos; video chats like Skype, Facetime, What's app
• Facilities are obligated to give you regular updates about your loved ones' condition and the condition of other residents and the general facility condition.

Some questions to ask:

• Are residents being kept separate or are they gathering for meals, activities etc.?
• How is the facility being cleaned - are extra measures being taken?
• In the absence of group activities, what 1:1 activities are taking place to keep residents stimulated, connected
• Can you drop of things for your loved ones? Food, supplies, cards/letters, flowers, books, games, movies etc. And what is the best way/time to do so?
• What is the best way to video chat with them as frequently as possible
• Can you come to the facility and see your loved ones through a window (people are doing this while talking on the phone - the visual connection is so helpful to so many)
• Have any residents been diagnosed with coronavirus?
• If your loved one gets sick, how will he/she be given medical care? Is a trip to the hospital still allowed?
• How can you best support the staff and show appreciation for what they are doing - can you send meals, baked goods, healthy snacks, flowers etc. and what is the best way to do so?

You'll find more info about coronavirus at www.AARP.org/coronavirus 

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